ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1206, 15 August 1911, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

NICOLA. Not only does Nicola p?rform all tho tricks ami illusions that can be imagined in the wide field of nugic, but he has almost endlessly different methods of i,rrforminp them. At the Opera House last: night ho introduced a number of new tricks into the programme, and levived several old ones in new form. One that, caused a deal of amusement was that in which tho great magician was assisted by a lad from the audience, Nicola insisting that the youth should play a principal part in the illusion, which consisted in tho transfer of a watch from a paper-bag to a wooden Ixix. An extraordinary feat was that in which a young lady assistant was mado to pass from one cabinet of a box to another, and, finally, to disappear altogether. At tho conclusion of tho. performance Nicola took up the challengo of -the British and Continental Piano Company, in which he was soldered and screwed up in one of their imported piano cases, after first being securely manacled feet and hands. The piano wise was then pushed under an oaciosure an the stage, aud, in less than ten minutes' time, Nicola appeared with the liandciiffs in his hands, and. when the case was brought into the light again, it was seen that tho screws were all intact.

To-night, at the Opera House, Nicola will take up a difficult handcuff challenge. A number of handcuffs, leg-irons, locks, etc., are to be placed upon his wrists, legs, neck, and body; he is then to be placed upon the floor, where screw eyes are screwed into the floor, and Nicola, with his arms and legs outstretched, will bo securely locked to the screw-eyes, feet, wrists, and neck. He expects to effect his release. To-morrow night is to bo Nicola's last and farewell performance in Wellington. THEATRE ROYAL. Harland and Rollinson made a first appearance with Fullers' Vaudeville Company at the Theatre Royal last night, and supplied a musical turn, which quickly captivated the audience. Originally from the Hippodrome, London, theso artists have recently completed a very successful season in Australia, and the enthusiasm with which they were received last night makes it certain that thev will prove a big draw with local patrons of vaudeville. The pair play oil various kinds of instruments and mix excellent comedy with their music, but. their particular line is the concertina, which they ■have in all sizes, including the largest and smallest in the world. Last night tho new-comers were recalled several times. Tho Potter-Hartwell trio,by their work last week, were volcd tho best of acrobats, and their comedy was conceded to be capital. In a new turn last night, however, theso brilliant peoplo quito eclipsed their previous performances, and kept the honso in ronrs of laughter from Mart to finish. While the tumbling, balancing and contortion work was quite up to the original standard, the rest of tho turn excelled it. At times tho trio wero assisted by numerous other figures on tho stage—s-omo dummies and sonic real live beings—but, towards the close of the net, it was almost impossible to distinguish one kind from the other, and tho house echoed and re-echoed with the laughter of the audience. The Kavannghs manipulated tennis material in their usual skilful style, and have attained popularity at this theatre. On tho first half of the bill, Ward Lear scored principal success, while Jim Gaffney, the clever acrobatic comedian, also made a decided hit with his capital song and dance turn. Other contributors wero Clias. Heath, singim; collier, Bob Harper, balladist, Marcclla Gray, singer of serio comic songs, Rub.v Rubira, Dolly Courtney, and Nellio Kearle. The programme is ono of tho strongest submitted for u long time.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. By the English mail which arrived in town, yesterday afternoon came tho latest films i'roni the great kinematograph firms ill America, England, and Europe, and an excellent selection from this interesting budget was screened at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. The new progrnmmo includes several interesting pictures of recent events. One of these, "The Launch of JI.M.S. Now Zealand," is a capital snapshot of tho sceno during the christening of the Dominion's gift battleship by Lady Ward, at the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company's yard. The ceremony attracted a. great, crowd, and the scene is a most animated one, the launch of the mighty fighting ship being tho occasion of a remarkable demonstration of enthusiasm. Another most interesting series shows tho destruction by shell fire of tho old.United States battleship Texas, latterly christened tho San Marco, by a division of tho United States Navy m Chesapeake Bay. Tho Texas was the hero ship of.tlio naval engagement at Sr.nti.aga do Cuba, whero the Spanish fleet was practically annihilated. In the pictures of her destruction, the old sea warrior is seen in the distance while a perfect inferno of shot and shell is concentrated upon her doomed hull by the 7 and 12-inch guns from more modern ships. A thrilling sceno is tho picture of the New Hampshire in action, firing, a broadside at the old Texas. Afterwards, the camera is taken to close quarters, and the frightful havoc wrought upon the battleship, which sank in comparatively shallow water, is clearly depicted. •Of the dramatic studies, one of the best of that class yet seen here is that entitled "The Quarrel on the Cliff," which includes a sensational fall over a precipice, a miraculous escape from death, and a dramatic rescue. "Billy's Valentine" is a diverting comedy, constructed upon the characteristic, impislmess of .youngsters in general, and the mischievous pranks of a little girl in particular. Paris fashions, Patho's Weekly Gazette, a "Foolshead Somnambulist" comedy, are other attractive features of the new series, while "Zululand," a South African tale of adventure, "Arabian Manners," a travel study, and "The Republican .Marriage" shuuld also be noticed. There aro also screened a series of fixed views, coloured, of the Coronation decorations in tho principal thoroughfares in London. The programmo will l>e repeated this evening. THE KING'S THEATRE. A new programme of pictures, selected from the latest budget which arrived by the English mail yesterday afternoon, was screened at the King's Theatre last • evening before a largo attendance of tho public. Among tho principal items in. an excellent series is a particularly lino dramatic study, entitled "The Quarrel on the Cliff," which is one of the mos:l sensational picture-tales yet related on tho screen. The story concerns tho rivalry of two brothers in their court of a fair maid, an outburst of jealousy, and a tragic scene on the cliffs. The brothers decide to fight it out, and the melos. ends in the disappearance of ono of tho brothers over the edge of the precipice— an untoward calamity, quite unpremeditated. By a lucky chance tho hapless victim is caught by the foot: midway down the cliff, and hangs there till his subsequent discovery by two girls-one of them the "woman in (he case." A sonsational rescue is effected, the youth recovers, and, recognising ultimately that the heart of the maid is not for him, magnanimously abandons his suit. Tho drama is well set. out, and is really a moit absorbing one. A good topical picture is a series of views taken at tho launch of H.M.S. New Zealand, tho gift battleship of the Dominion, showing tlio christening ceromosv by Liuly Ward, a huge crowd of interested spectators, and tho launching of tho vessel. Scenic pictures includo scenes from Granada, tho old Moorish capital of Spain, showing the famous palace of the Alhambra, scenes from China, and "In Old California." The comic studies are good. These include a particularly clever salire. by Monsiaur Prince, tho versatile French comedian, in a study entitled "Trying to Got Arrested." Prince is shown us a shabby mendicant, penniless, who reads in a sernp of newspaper, picked up from the gutter, of the highly comfortable conditions of life under Ihe now prison syslem, whero malefactors are treated better than paupers in the workhoiw. He endeavours to get himself arrrsled by getting a sumptions dinner at a restaurant and displaying th» lining of his poekels after he has disposed of his final liqueur. The policeman is.summoned, and Prince is al>out lo accomplish his purpose when a misguided philanthropist pays up nnd lets him off. Prince then earns a thousand franc note by finding, the pet (log of a weallhy lady, and is subsequently arrested for being in possession of so much money! Other good pictures include Potho's "Weekly Gazette," "Tonloliui's Auifrirnn Cousin." and a display of fancy sknting by Madame Read (appearing j ust. now at the Kilhirn'fl Rink). The programme will be repeated this evening,

"JACK AND THE BEANSTALK." Tim box plans for the first six nights and tirsl two matinees were opened at the Dresden yesterday, splendid booking resulting. ',I'ho story shows the poverty of pn.ir Damn Trait, ami how her son .lack Irak a. tortoise-shell-coloured prize cow. willi a liido wrinkled with anxiety, for Kile, parting with tier t.o tho fairy lnnlhc. whose bug of gold changes to beans before Jack rent-lies homo again. Constantly-changing srenos of beauty show where tho beans are thrown, and the magic atmosphere is at once crcated in the simple captivating mekdies nl "It's Growing." This prepares the audience for the transformation scene, which lakes place in the middle of the evening instead of at the end. Of the ballets there are many. There is the dance of little Glow Worms, with an unseen chorus of dainty, ringing bells ami quavering interrogatiens for strings and flute, leading to tho ballet of tho Beanstalk. Tlio big Military Ballet, the Dance of tho Follies, the Ballet of Dolls, and several others. The storming and subsequent destruction of the Giant Blunderboro's castle, tho building of tho Australian destroyer, Parramatta, and tho flight of tho mysterious aeroplane are particularly fino in spectacular display. By way of the remarkable popularity that "Jack and tho Beanstalk" has already achieved, both in Melbourne and Sydney, it is interesting to know that the total number of performances in the former eit.v was 131!, and 300,000 people paid for admission to see it. In Sydney the same extraordinary popularity was achieved.